The Princess and The Vigilante
by Haruki-Kun
Summary: "I want to love you, but you won't let me..." Miyu Kazemari is just a normal girl who moved to Chicago to live with her friend Ran. Her life was seemingly normal until meeting Aiden Pearce, the superb hacker and infamous criminal. Now, she'll have to learn how to live in his dark, vengeful world and tolerate his ways, but the more Miyu stays, the more attached she becomes to Aiden.
1. Crossed Paths

The Princess and the Vigilante Chapter One

**_Crossed Paths_**

* * *

"_I can't stop thinking about you... you saved my life but I have something of yours… Please understand… You can do anything to me, just please don't hate me…"_

* * *

"_RAN~!_" Miyu called from the terminal.

Miyuko Kazemari—nicknamed "Miyu"—came a long way from New York to Chicago. It's been several years since she saw Ran Murajoso, her childhood friend.

"Miyu-Chan!" Ran exclaimed, waving her arms.

The two hugged each other and giggled. They walked off to Ran's car and drove off.

"So, how've you been, Miyu? And your family?" Ran said.

"I'm fine and they're doing well—my father is, at least," Miyu responded.

"Oh! Your parent's divorced… sorry."

Miyu lightly smiled and looked towards the side. She never liked to talk about her parent's marital status—it only brought back painful memories.

Ran steered the conversation somewhere else, "Hey! How about your brothers? How are they doing?"

"They're OK. Hayato's just turned 13 and Kenta got a job as an intern. Katsu's at home, taking care of Daddy and Hayato," Miyu replied.

"Aww…" Ran said, "Haya's growing up! I bet he's still cute, though!"

"You wouldn't be saying that if you had him for a brother… that annoying little…" Miyu looked outside the car window. Chicago was very different from New York, let alone Tokyo. Giant skyscrapers, busy prefectures—she would think it'd be the same as the others, but one thing separated Chicago from the others. It was the atmosphere, the feel of the town was darker, like something great was robbed from the city.

Through the rest of the trip, they talked until they reached Ran's apartment. Ran opened the door to her apartment.

"Welcome to my home!" Ran exclaimed.

Miyu walked in and looked around, "Wow, Ran. Your apartment looks like your room when we were kids."

The room was covered in plush toys and posters with some gadgets here and there.

"And this is where you sleep," Ran said, opening another door.

"Thanks!" Miyu exclaimed.

She dropped her pink and green luggage, kicked off her shoes, and threw herself on the bed. It was nine in the evening and the city was shining bright, like stars in the sky. Miyu pulled the covers over herself.

"Good night, Chicago…" she murmured and then dozed off.

* * *

Miyu awoke to the sound of J-Pop on her smartphone. She stretched, smiled, and she ran up the window smelled the air. It smelled awful, but otherwise it was going to be a good day.

"Morning, Ran!" Miyu skipped to the table like a ballerina.

"Same to you, Miyu!" Ran replied.

She was making bacon for breakfast. On Miyu's plate were two fried eggs and fried rice with a glass of orange juice.

"You're up so early, Ran," Miyu said.

"That's because I need to go to work," Ran said, "I work at the coffee shop down the block. Hey, how about you come along with me, Miyu?"

"Sure! Besides, it's coffee!" Miyu said. She loved coffee as long as it was decaffeinated.

They ate and left. They walked down the street and Miyu greeted most everyone they came across. Some people would greet back or ignore her, either way she would still say hello when people passed her. There were three men who often complemented Miyu, but Ran pulled her away, skeptical about their appearance. When they arrived at the coffee shop, named Brewed Delight, the store owner was unlocking the doors.

He noticed Ran, "Hey Ran! Always early to get to work, huh?"

"The early-bird catches the worm, Mr. Hunsten." She replied.

"I guess your right… and who's your friend?" Hunsten asked.

"This is Miyu Kazemari, my childhood best friend."

"Nice to meet you," Miyu said.

"Likewise," Hunsten said.

Hunsten opened the door and Ran put on her apron and hat. Miyu sat down and checked her phone. She got a text from Katsu:

_Hi Miyu-Chan! Are you in Chicago?_

_Hi~ Katsu-Oniisan ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ__! Yep, I'm in Chigago! It's different than I thought! (○o○)__  
_

_That's good to hear! Dad and I just wanted to know if you're ok._

_I'm fine! You don't need to worry! ( ＾∇＾)_

_Ok, Dad and Hayo-Neesan says hi. Good luck to you out there! (^_^)/"_

_Thanks ( __･__ω__･__)__ﾉ__! Tell them I called! (-^〇^-)_

The text session ended. It brought joy to Miyu that her family cared that much for her. Since their parent's divorce and her mother's later death, family meant everything to the Kazemaris'—especially to Kenta, Katsu, and their father. Minutes passed and Miyu saw customers fly in and out, _Poor Ran! _She thought, but one particular customer walked in.

"Moring, Sir! Welcome to Brewed Delight!" Ran said with a tired smile.

He nodded back. This person seems to have caught Miyu's eye as he was in a long brown trench coat and a cap with a green rim. He seemed tired and… "broken", if Miyu explained. He sat around the counter.

"What would you like to have today, sir?" Ran asked the man.

He sighed, "The usual… a large, strong cup."

_Wow… he must be tired, _Miyu thought. She wanted to walk up to him and ask if he was alright, but she assumed it would be very rude for her to ask that. She doesn't even know him. She decided to mind her own business and Ran came with a cup of coffee.

"Oh no! I didn't order any—"

"The boss says it's on the house. First cup free!" Ran grinned.

It was coffee with whipped cream over it and two cinnamon sticks to complement. A little too sweet, but Miyu loved anything sweet. "Thanks Ran! And tell Mr. Hunsten I said thanks!"

Ran returned to her duties and Miyu was enjoying her cup of coffee. _Nothing can go wrong… _Miyu thought.

It was, however, a bad time to think that— A REALLY bad time. A group of men walked in and they were the same men that complemented Miyu a while ago. The man in the trench coat was very uneasy about them and Ran was nervous but still greeted them.

"Welcome to Brewed Deli—" She stopped in her tracks as one pulled out his pistol and aimed for her forehead. He had a goatee and a right diamond earing. She quickly raised her hands.

"Don't fuckin' move!" He ordered.

The other two pulled out their M-4's and such. The ordered everyone in the café to get on the floor. Miyu did just that, but she couldn't believe what was happening. Those three nice men are really criminals plotting to rob a café (_A café? Seriously?! _She thought). She noticed the man in the trench coat, on the floor covering his head. In his right hand, however, he had what looked like a smartphone over his head. She assumed he was going to call the police, so she tried to stay calm.

"Hey-hey!" One of the men exclaimed, looking at Miyu, "You're that pretty girl from the street!"

The other one turned his head, "Hey! You're right!" He grabbed Miyu's arm and pulled her off the floor, "How 'bout this one, boss? I bet a bunch of pervs would love to buy this one!"

"Miyu!" Ran exclaimed, but the man in the goatee forced the gun up to her head.

"Shut up and give us the money, bitch!" He looked at Miyu and examined her face, "I know I'd buy an Asian girl like her. Alright, bring her along, too. We just made a score: Money and new merchandise!"

The two men laughed and grabbed her arms. Miyu cried and shrieked, "No! No! Let me go! Someone! Help! Please help!"

No one was willing to help her, not even Hunsten or Ran. She's been in Chicago for two days and she was already in deep trouble. She knew there was a dark atmosphere lingering in and around the city. A sense of helplessness… she felt it around the city and she was experiencing it. She only hoped for the best...

Then the lights went out.

_**Crash!**_

_** Bang!**_

_** Bang!**_

_** Crash!**_

_** Bang! Bang! Bang!**_

After the gun-blazing, screaming, and close-combat melee, Miyu opened an eye. She saw the men on the floor, beaten brutally. One was shot in the chest; it was astonishing how he didn't die from impact and the other one was bleeding profusely from the side of his head. The one with the goatee was being interrogated by Trench Coach-Man, who held a gun towards him.

"Butch "Gritty" Penson," Trench Coat-Man said, "You have a warrant and have resisted arrest many times. You also are the ring leader of an underground sex trafficking syndicate…"

"What…?" Miyu whispered.

He ignored the girl and closed the gun on Penson's temples. Although he wanted to shoot him, there were too many bystanders and Ran just called the cops. He stood up, put his gun away, put his scarf over his mouth, and ran out the door.

Ran slumped over a wall and Miyu was processing what just happened. She thought she was going to die but that man—Trench Coat-Man—saved her life and the lives of others. She wanted to thank him, so quickly got up and ran but something caught her eye on the floor. It was a smartphone, but not just any smartphone…

_It's Trench Coat-Man's phone! _She thought.

She ran outside the café.

"Hey! You left your phone!"

But he was gone; he just… vanished into the crowds. The police later arrived and arrested the three men. Miyu, Ran, and the rest were told to stay to answer some questions.

Miyu looked at the smartphone, _I have to get this back to him, _she then clenched the phone.

* * *

_**Author's Notes ('•̀ ▽ •́ )φ**__**!**_

_Throughout the story, you might come across some honorifics, translations, references, etc... Lucky for you, I'll be explaining these things along the way so you won't be lost along the way and your reading will be enhanced! So do not fret! ( ﾟ∀ﾟ) _

_***-Chan:** Japanese honorific used to address "something cute or lovable" such as friends, family, babies, cute animals, lovers, etc... BUT never say it to an adult! It's considered rude! ┗(•̀へ •́ ╮ )_

_*-**Oniisan:** Honorific translated as "Big Brother." That makes Katsu Miyu's superior. ヾ(￣ー￣)X(^∇^)ゞ_

_*-**Neesan: **Honorific opposite of "Oniisan." It's "Younger Brother," making Hayato Miyu's inferior. (ｏ・_・)ノ"(ᴗ_ ᴗ。)_

_*-**J-Pop: **Japanese pop music. Miyu is Japanese and lived in Japan for at least six years. It just a part of her. (๑´▿｀๑) •*¨*•.¸¸ ✧_

_*-**Japanese Emoticons: **You might just see some JP emoticons added somewhere in the story or used in Author's note. This is used to show emotion. ヾ(*´ー`)ノ_

_*-**Trench Coat-Man: **Spoiler! It's Aiden Pearce! He just hasn't been properly introduced yet...(*σᴗσ)(ㅎᴗㅎ ) ｜‸눈;)_

_I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of The Princess and The Vigilante! Stay tuned for the next chapter: Once Lost, Now Found! (✌ﾟ∀ﾟ) _


	2. Once Lost, Now Found

The Princess and the Vigilante Chapter Two

**_Once Lost, Now Found_**

* * *

"_Aha! I found you, Trench Coat-Man! What's this…? You appear to be sad… but it's alright… these things happen…"_

* * *

Ran groaned, "We'll never find him, Miyu…"

It was early in the morning. She sat near a nearby bench to relax while Miyu, focused and persistent as ever, continued searching for Trench Coat-Man.

"C'mon, Ran!" Miyu said, "We just can't give up now! He's possibly worried sick about his phone!" She looked at the smartphone, "Actually, to think of it, I wonder if he's realized he lost his phone…"

* * *

Aiden Pearce awoke from his bed, feeling guilty.

He sighed, "Another nightmare…"

This wasn't new to him as he had nightmares every night. The same reoccurring dream; it felt like a bad memory stuck on playback. It was quite strange though that his phone hasn't woken him up yet, so he shifted lazily over to the footstool and tried to find his phone. Once he figured it wasn't there, he groaned and got up out of bed. He then looked on the floor, assuming he dropped it, but it wasn't there either.

"Hmmm… maybe I left it in my pockets…" Aiden said.

He checked all his pockets, yet it wasn't there. Now, it was time to panic.

_Aiden, you idiot! You don't know where your phone is? _He said, banging his head with his hands. There was silence surrounding him as he was gathering his thoughts.

_Don't panic, _Aiden reassured himself, _I'm sure if you retrace your steps, you'll find it._

Without his phone, he couldn't fulfill his daily routine: stop criminal activity. So for now, he had to find that phone.

"The only problem is," he said, "it could be anywhere…" He groaned, and then he realized something.

"I haven't visted Lena in a while…"

* * *

Hours passed, and Miyu was still on the move, while Ran tagged behind her sighing.

"We'll never find him, you know. It's like finding a needle in a haystack," Ran called.

Miyu looked back and grinned, "You're just saying that because you're hungry!"

_Well, if only I could have finished breakfast, _Ran thought, _Oh, what I would do for an omelet right now…_

Miyu stopped and waited for Ran to catch up. Maybe it was a bit unfair for her to wake her up on such short notice and skip breakfast to find Trench Coat-Man—actually, it wasn't fair at all.

"Ran," she said, "You can go home if you like. I know how tired you are."

Ran wanted to go home, but she couldn't just Miyu alone. There were many possibilities of what could happen to Miyu.

"Are you sure?" Ran asked, "Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?"

Miyu smiled, "I'll be fine. Don't worry!"

Ran nodded then she left. She really was worried for her friend. Ever since what happened at the café, it struck fear inter her that if something like that ever happened again… and then there's Trench Coat-Man. Just who is he and can he be trusted?

She remembered what Miyu said then sighed, "That's just worries me the most…"

Meanwhile, Miyu was looking around and asked various people about Trench Coat-Man. No later than an hour, she gave up.

"Maybe Ran was right. Maybe it's just like finding a needle in a haystack," she said. She then took out Trench Coat-Man's phone.

_ No! _She thought, clenching the phone, _You just haven't been looking hard enough! Keep looking! He'll turn up soon! I'm sure of it!_

She sprinted down the sidewalk and recovered from her doubt. She seemed very hopeful to find Trench Coat-Man, even in the big city of Chicago. She passed through the gates of the cemetery, but something caught the corner of her eye. She stopped and backed up a bit to see what it was and suddenly her eyes sparkled.

"Trench Coat-Man!" She exclaimed.

She pointed to Aiden Pearce who was standing in front of a grave, his hands in his pockets. He took notice of her but pretended that she wasn't there, hoping she would leave.

"I foooouund you~!" Miyu mused, running towards him like a bullet train.

Aiden didn't know how to respond. Would it be better to run or to stop her from running into him?

_ Oh, God… she's coming this way! _He thought.

Miyu then tripped on her own feet and fell forward towards him with great speed. "Ahhhhh!"

"Huh?!" Aiden gasped.

He had to act fast so he caught Miyu and she wrapped her arms around his neck for support. Unfortunately, in the process she stepped on his foot and Aiden lost balance. They fell on the grass and Miyu closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she realized she was on top of Aiden, groaning in pain.

She blushed, "Oh! Sorry!" She scrambled to get off, "Are you OK?"

Aiden grunted, "I was…"

She got up and offered him her hand to grab but he got up by himself.

Miyu bowed repeatedly, "I'm sorry! So very sorry!"

When she looked up, Aiden was dusting off his trench coat. She took a good look at him. Yes, he was the Trench Coat-Man from the café—green-rimmed cap and brown trench coat. Getting a closer look at him he wore a grey sweater, a neck-tucked scarf and his face was quite attractive—especially his eyes. When Aiden looked at her, she froze. They were so green; she was captivated by them, she could look at them all day.

Aiden raised an eyebrow, "Uhh… Hi?"

"Ha... ha… Hi…!" She managed to say. She blushed again, but she managed to hide it, "I'm… the girl from the café! You know?"

It took Aiden a moment to remember, "Oh, yes… It's all coming back to me now. You were the helpless girl taken hostage."

_I wouldn't say helpless… _Miyu thought.

"You're here to thank me, aren't you?" Aiden asked. He could see right through her… so much for expressing gratitude.

"Uhh… yes! That's one reason…" Miyu responded.

She grabbed her pink handbag and rummaged through it. She mumbled a couple times as she was trying to find something. Aiden presumed that she wanted to give him something.

"No," he said, raising a hand, "No gifts, please."

"It's not a gift, though… hmm… where is it…? Aha! Here you are!"

She pulled out Aiden's smartphone. Aiden was shocked, speechless for words. He couldn't believe that Miyu had his phone, but he was absolutely surprised that she would go through the trouble finding him just to give back his phone in person.

"You had my phone all this time…?" Aiden asked.

"Well sure! Why else would I go through the trouble looking for you?" Miyu replied. She gave the phone to him and smiled, "It'd be a shame if you never saw it again. Who knows what could have happened to it?"

Aiden took the phone and nodded, "Yeah, thanks."

To Aiden, Miyu was a different person all together. She was kind, honest, and a pure optimist. She was a "good girl with a sweet heart," and it was rare to him to meet that kind of person, but with that in mind she could be naïve, gullible and to an extent stupid. While he was busy evaluating her, she took a look at Lena's grave.

"Lena Pearce? Did you know this person?" She asked.

She knew she should have just left as he looked down. She panicked, knowing that she made him upset.

"Sorry! Sorry! I should have been aware…! But, you know, if it makes you feel any better, I've lost a loved one once."

Aiden looked up, but stayed silent.

Miyu continued, "When I was eight, my mother… died. She was the nicest person you've ever met. She'd always find a way to make everyone smile and when…" tears were running down her cheek as she talked.

"Are you OK?" Aiden asked.

It was hard for Miyu to talk about her mother, let alone think about her. Every time, it only brought despair and emotional pain.

"I'm fine! Really! It's just—it's just that these things happen. Those moments where you lose someone important to you," she sniffed then smiled, "but that's alright. It's better to forget the past and look on to the future. I'm sure they would want you to do that!"

A moment of silence, then Aiden spoke.

"You're right," he said, "but what good is the future if you forget the past?"

"Huh?" Miyu replied.

"I keep those memories to remind myself to never make the same mistake twice. It hurts to remember, but it's what motivates me."

Miyu didn't know how to respond, "I don't—"

_**Bang! Bang! **_

Gunshots rang in Miyu's ears. She jumped towards Aiden, holding him in fear.

"Eeeyaa! What was that?!" She gasped.

Aiden pulled out a handgun and scouted the area. He slowly turned left then right while putting a hand on Miyu's head.

_**Bang!**_

He pointed to the direction of the shooting, "Stay close."

A moment of calm silence until a whole round of bullets fired.

_**Bang! Bang!**_

_**Bang! Bang! Bang!**_

There were too many shots and the assailants were well-hidden. They were out in the open and Aiden cursed.

"Dammit!" he said. He grabbed Miyu's wrist and ran.

"Where're we going?!" Miyu asked. Her voice was about to crack.

Aiden didn't answer. He kept looking back; she could feel the tension he was feeling. They just kept running, fearful for their lives.

* * *

_****__**Author's Notes ('•̀ ▽ •́ )φ**__**!**_

_Currently, there's nothing in this chapter to explain...(ﾟｰﾟ;_

_Sorry for procrastinating（ﾉ´д｀）! I've just been playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl with my sister and some other games, but I am **determined** to continue this story!੭•̀ω•́)੭̸*✩⁺˚_

_We've reached 10+ follower milestone! Heck yeah! Inspiration gauge increased! ヾ(ﾟ∀ﾟゞ)_

_So, what happens next? Stay tuned for the next chapter! ٩(•̤̀ᵕ•̤́๑)ᵒᵏᵎᵎᵎᵎ_


	3. Call You Friend

The Princess and The Vigilante Chapter Three

_**Call You "Friend"**_

* * *

_"Life isn't easy for you, huh, Aiden Pearce? You seem alone... You don't need to be alone... I be here for you for better... or worse. You decide."_

* * *

"Where the hell they go?" a man said.

"Damn! We lost 'em!" another one replied.

One of them sighed, "We can't quit now. The boss will ring our asses out if we don't find them."

"Right!"

Little did they know Aiden and Miyu were hiding in a car. Aiden kept her head down and mouth quiet.

"Nnnnpph—" she squeaked.

He covered her mouth, "Not a word!" he whispered.

Aiden was eavesdropping on their conversation. He had pistol ready.

"Ah, screw it! They're long gone by now!"

"The boss isn't gonna like this…"

"Don't sweat. They'll turn up soon… they can't hide forever."

They left grumbling. Aiden raised his head, scouting the area. He noticed that they had British accents, but there was no time to investigate.

"It's safe. You can come out now."

Miyu was trembling under the car seat. She forgot herself knowing that they almost got caught but she got a grip of herself and raised her head. Aiden started the ignition and off they drove. There was a moment of awkward silence between the two of them. Miyu figured she'd be the one to break the silence.

"Who were those guys?" She asked.

Aiden stayed silent. This only irritated her as he was ignoring her again. She wanted to do something, but she remembered: _He's got a gun. _

"And about the car…" she said.

"Not mine." Aiden replied.

Miyu froze, "Whaa!? Really?!"

"Yeah, really."

"But we stole a car!"

"I wouldn't say 'stole,'" Aiden said, "I'd say we 'borrowed' it and may have no intension of returning it."

"That's still stealing!"

"Call it what you want," he ended.

They came across a stoplight. Aiden was checking his phone while Miyu used the mirror to straighten her hair; however, in the mirror she noticed a red car.

"Is it me or is that car—yaahhh!"

The car rammed the back the back of their car. They were the assailants and they were well armed. Aiden cursed and drove like hell; Miyu screamed. They were tailing them, constantly bumping the back of the car and shooting.

"Shit!" Aiden exclaimed.

He made a sharp turn and hoped to find something to slow them down. There was a bridge up ahead

_Perfect! _Aiden thought.

He used his phone to activate the bridge. When Miyu saw the bridge, her face suddenly came numb.

"The bridge! It's going out!" She exclaimed.

"Hold on to something," he replied.

_This is crazy… Trench Coat-Man's psychotic! _Miyu thought. She closed her eyes and screamed.

After panicking, she opened her eyes. She gasped. They were on the other side of the bridge! To think they actually jumped the bridge and barely landed! Eventually, the pursuers gave up searching; they were in the clear. Miyu's fright then turned to a fit of rage.

"You're dangerous! You're insane!" She said, "We could have died!"

Aiden grunted and gripped the steering wheel. The car came to an abrupt stop.

"…Trench Coat-Man?" Miyu asked.

Taking a closer look, Miyu noticed blood running down his shoulder. She gasped in horror: Aiden took a shot in the shoulder.

"Gahh! Y-your shoulder! It's bleeding!" Miyu exclaimed.

"I figured…" Aiden said sarcastically. He shifted her angle and grabbed her shoulder to support himself.

"I'll call the paramedics! Surly they can—"

"Don't you dare!" Aiden growled, "Drive."

"But you're—"

"Just Drive!"

He groaned in pain. Miyu knew he was in need of medical assistance, but refused and there was nothing she could do to convince him otherwise. They swapped seats and drove off. Throughout the drive, Aiden got light-headed due to the loss of blood. He was beginning to black out.

"Trench Coat-Man? Trench Coat-Man! Don't go out on me! Hold on! You're going to make it!..."

* * *

_Uncle Aiden?_

"…_Lena…?"_

_I knew I'd find you sleeping around!_

"_What…?"_

_C'mon, Uncle Aiden! Come play with us!_

"_Wait, Lena!"_

"Ha…!" Aiden quickly awoke. Looking around, he noticed he was on an orange couch and a cat-patterned blanket covered him. This wasn't any place he knew; it was too… neon-pastel. He tried to get up but groaned as the nerves in his arm twitched. Speaking of that, his trench coat and sweater smelled minty fresh, like peppermint and the blood stains were gone.

"What the hell?" he gritted.

Just then, Miyu walked in with an ice pack and a bowl.

"Oh!" She exclaimed with joy, "Good! You're awake! Perfect timing, too!" She asked Aiden for his arm.

"Where are we?" Aiden asked. When the ice pack came in contact, he grunted.

"We're at my friend's house. You said not to call the paramedics and since I had no idea where you lived, we drove here."

"How long was I out?"

"Only a couple of hours." She put some pressure on his arm, "Hold still. I know it hurts."

Aiden glared, "I can't believe you."

"Huh?" Miyu replied.

"You would take care of an unknown stranger in your home, even after everything he's put you through."

"What would you want me to do?" She asked, "Leave you on the streets? Let you bleed to death? No, that goes against my better judgment." She checked his shoulder, "Does it feel numb?"

Aiden nodded.

"In that case," Miyu smiled, giving him the bowl, "Eat this."

"What is it?"

"Miso soup with curry! Good for healing and it's healthy!"

To Aiden, it looked and smelled terrible to eat. He wanted to say no, but dreaded she'll give him another lecture, so…

_Here goes … _he thought.

He took a small chunk and ate it.

"…Not bad," he said.

"I'm glad you liked it and… Oh! I think we haven't properly introduced!" She put out her right hand, "I'm Miyuko Kazemari, but my friends call me Miyu for short. And you?"

Aiden was hesitant to answer, but she _seemed _all right to trust (that, and he hated being called Trench Coat-Man).

"Aiden. Aiden Pearce." He shook her hand.

"Aiden? That's a nice name and… uhh, sorry for calling you Trench Coat-Man," the doorbell rang, "Excuse me."

She giggled and left the soup on the coffee table. The doorbell rang and she opened the door. It was Ran coming home from work. They greeted, but once seeing Aiden, Ran's smile disappeared. Miyu introduced them to each other and explained everything to Ran. She asked her if Aiden could stay until he felt better.

"Are you kidding? No!" She responded. She thought their lives would be in danger if he stayed.

"Awww… please? Just look at him. He was shot in the shoulder!"

"And I feel sorry for him, I really do. But, when he's around, trouble follows… no offence."

"None taken," Aiden said.

"At least let him—"

"My mind is made up. He can't stay."

"It's fine," Aiden said, "I had to go anyways."

He got up from the couch and took his leave. He held his shoulder in pain, but managed to open the door. Miyu coldly stared towards Ran. Ran wanted to put a hand on her shoulder, but Miyu violently shrugged it off, grabbed a bag and ran out the door. Meanwhile, Aiden checked his phone. He got a text message from Clara Lille, asking where he's been. He texted "It's complicated…" No response after that. He also wondered about the guys who chased them.

"They didn't look like typical fixers," He said to himself, "and they sound British. Even their cars looked different. Be on guard, focus and prepare yourself."

"Aiden!" Miyu called.

"…Miyu!" He almost forgot her name.

She gave him the bag, "I made a couple of sandwiches while you were asleep."

He shrugged, "It's nice that you made me these, but you didn't have to—"

"But I had to! Think of it as an 'I owe you,'" she looked down, "You saved my life twice now; I only thought it'd be fair and…" she blushed, "C-can I call you… a friend?"

Aiden raised an eyebrow, "Friend?"

"Of course! I mean I get into trouble, I can always count on you to be there and if you're ever in any trouble, I'll be there to help!"

Telling from her face, she really wanted to trust him, "I can't keep promises," Aiden said, "and you shouldn't put your trust in me," he sighed and took the bag, "but… fine. We can be 'friends.' Just keep it between us, okay?"

"Yay~!" Miyu hugged Aiden.

"Personal space, please," He replied in irritation. He took his leave.

"Bye Aiden!" Miyu called.

Aiden waved back, entered a car, and drove off.

_He stole another car… _Miyu thought then sighed, _I'm never getting used to that…_

* * *

**_How much info you got?_**

_Not much... they couldn't stop him._

**_Where is he now?_**

_He was last spotted in The Loop, but he's on the move again._

**_Damn! He's aware of us! Why couldn't those Arseholes—_**

_However, there was a girl alongside him. We don't know if she's an accomplice..._

**_Well find the bird! What better way to crush a man's spirits than to take everything he cares about, eh Chap?_**

_Ok, I'll get the guys together._

_~Hawkeye007 has left the chat room~_

* * *

_****__**Author's Notes ('•̀ ▽ •́ )φ**__**!**_

_Stuff Explained!_

*-**_Miso Soup with__ Curry:_**_ A Japanese dish known to ease pain and heal. It actually decreases cancer in women in a proven study! Curry optional! Anything Miyu cooks is made with love! (๑・ω-)～ "_

_*-**Arsehole: **British for asshole. Sounds nicer... （￣～￣;）_

_*-**The Bird: **Seems to be Miyu. It's also slang for a girl in British. （・⊝・）_

_*-**Chap: **British slang for "Dude" or "Man." (o･ｪ･) _

_Who was chasing them? They don't seem like fixers... or are they? And what about Aiden and Miyu's "friendship?" Can it work or will it go to hell? Well have to find out on next chapter! o(〃＾▽＾〃)o_


	4. Secrets and Answers

The Princess and The Vigilante Chapter Four

**_Secrets and Answers_**

* * *

_"I know. I know you're the Vigilante. The Fox. You'll do anything to get the things you want, You've brought this town a lot of trouble, but I bring you even more trouble..."_

* * *

"How can you trust him?"

"Ran, calm down…"

"I can't because your 'friend' is the Vigilante!"

Ran and Miyu argued over what they saw over the news. "Vigilante Spotted! Will Chicago Ever Be Safe?" it said showing a mug shot of Aiden with his scarf up.

"Ok, so he's the Vigilante… but can you blame me? I didn't know," Miyu said.

"Fine, but friends? Miyu, you must be out of your mind!"

"I know, it sounds like the craziest thing I've ever done, but he saved my life twice."

"For all you know, he could have _lied_ to you. He's a criminal—"

"Aiden's a guy with… mostly good intentions. He's just under a 'bad light' that's all!"

Ran grunted and stomped in place. She didn't know what else to say. Miyu always knew Ran had problems trusting people. She was like this, even as a child she couldn't trust anyone, not even her parents. Actually, if she can remember right, it was _because_ of Ran's parents that Ran had trouble trusting people.

"Ran," Miyu said, "remember the bus stop?"

A jolt went through Ran.

"I remember… it was raining. I saw you there, waiting with your bag pack, crying. I came back from school and asked where you were going."

"So? That's different."

"You wanted to run away from your troubles. You said nobody would care. I cared," Miyu continued, "I could have walked off but I didn't. Giving up on Aiden is like telling me like I made the wrong move years ago. Like I should have let you leave."

Ran sighed, "I can't reason with you can I?"

She nodded and smiled. It bothered Ran a bit that Miyu was too overly trusting. She wasn't the least bit worried. What could she do?

"Fine," she grunted, "but if he slips up, it's your problem."

"I'm willing to live with that!" Miyu mused.

She left the room and Ran threw herself on the couch. She covered her eyes with a pillow. She remembered the bus stop and it brought tears to her eyes. That was the last thing she wanted to remember

_Aiden Pearce… _she thought, _What does Miyu see in you? If anything happens to her, so help you God…_

Miyu was out and about in town. It was a perfect day for an outing: shopping, sight-seeing, the works. She was hoping to come across Aiden today, but that was asking for too much. She did however have another bag of sandwiches, for when she would run into him again.

_You're never too sure… _she thought.

It was the early evening; the sun was setting and it was getting dark. Miyu did most of everything she wanted to do.

"The sun is going down… I need to get going," she said.

She walked briskly down the sidewalk until she saw something across the street. She stopped to take a look. Speak of the Devil, it was Aiden!

"Aiden~!" She called.

He ignored her. He had his phone out and he seemed to be following someone.

_Is he… stalking?! _Miyu thought. She observed him. He kept a distance but a steady pace with his target. The guy had know idea Aiden was following him. Miyu was anxious, what was he going to do to this man? Beat him? Kill him? She knew he was capable of pulling it off, but she wouldn't happen.

"Aiden?! What're you doing?!" She called.

The guy looked back and ran, "Oh hell!"

Aiden ran after him, with Miyu trailing behind. They ran for nearly half a mile until Aiden caught up, tackled him, and pulled out his baton. He beat the guy half to death until Miyu grabbed his arm.

"Stop!" She pleaded, "Aiden! Please stop!"

Aiden pushed her against a wall. His eyes reflected wrath.

"Are you fucking crazy?" He said.

"No! Are you?" She replied.

He punched the wall out of frustration. Aiden tried to control his anger.

"Go home. This doesn't concern you," Aiden said.

"No!" Miyu replied.

He leaned in closer, "I said go home."

"And I said no!"

"Stubborn, aren't you?"

"Pressure doesn't work on me. Besides, you can always shoot me."

She winked at him. This only irritated him and while the two were fighting, the guy woke up. He knew this was his chance to escape. He ran a short distance until…

"Hey."

"Wha—" There was a sharp pain in his side. Blood dripped from his hip and he fell over.

"That's right… Nice and easy…"

Aiden knew that voice anywhere, "Jordy!"

"You called?" He hummed.

Aiden completely forgot about Miyu, "I had the guy—"

"Of course you did," Jordy said, "I just did the dirty work for you… again."

"I wanted him alive, Jordy."

"Calm down," Jordy checked the man's pulse, "See? He lives."

Aiden remained upset. He could have screwed everything and killed their target, defeating the purpose of capture. Jordy didn't know what else to say (hopeless talking to Aiden when he's pissed) but he looked over Aiden's shoulder.

"And who is this lovely lady?" He asked.

"She's nobody," Aiden replied.

"Miyu Kazemari," she said, putting out her hand, "Nice to meet you!"

"The pleasure's all mine, Princess," Jordy took her hand and kissed it.

"Jordy," Aiden interrupted, "stick to the plan."

Jordy took a bow towards Miyu and followed Aiden. Miyu held her hand to her chest and blushed. Jordy was different from Aiden, looks and personality. It was hard to believe that they could be "friends."

"Wait for me!" She called.

"You are _not _coming. I've made myself clear." Aiden replied.

"Why not?" Jordy asked, "I'm sure she can be useful to us."

"No, no she can't. She can't defend herself."

"So? I don't like you and you don't like me. What makes you and Princess Kazemari so different?"

_A lot of things… _Aiden thought. He also knew that Miyu would follow him anyways. She was just that damn stubborn.

Aiden sighed, "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

"I'll take that as a yes!" Jordy exclaimed and Miyu cheered.

Later that night, they were at an old abandoned lot. Aiden pushed the guy against the fence.

"Walter Ridley…" Aiden said.

"Go to hell, man…" Ridley was beaten everywhere. They had to give it to him, he was ever so persistent. He wouldn't tell them anything involving the people he was working for. Jordy and Miyu were watching and waiting until he cracked. Miyu held her breath.

"Don't worry. He's always been a dick." Jordy assured.

"I'm going to ask you one more time. Who hired you?" Aiden asked.

"Piss off! If I tell you they'll kill me."

"Then you're useless," Aiden pulled out his pistol and aimed.

Ridley screeched. He begged and pleaded Aiden, but he seemed not to care. Miyu couldn't take it anymore, she had to intervene. She came between Aiden and Ridley, "Stop! Killing him isn't going to help!"

Aiden was unmoved.

"Just put the gun away, Aiden. I'll handle this," she said.

Aiden hesitated, but still put away the gun. He backed off a bit.

"Sorry about that," Miyu said, "but please cooperate with us. We don't want to hurt you."

"Speak for yourself!" Jordy called.

Miyu placed a hand on Ridley's shoulder, "I won't let them hurt you, I promise."

"Sorry, Love," Ridley coughed, "but you won't get nothing from me! You can forget it!"

At this point, she she's just about had it with this guy. She thought comforting and reassuring him would work, but no. He was just as stubborn.

"You're telling me, that you want to die with the truth than to have a clear conscience?"

"Look, I die either way."

She came in closer, "You'll be fine. I promise you."

Ridley chuckled, "You don't get it, do 'ya Love?" He held his side in pain, "These guys are something else… they play a dangerous game. Once you get involved in their shit, they're ain't no way out. Forget it! Just forge—"

A bullet fired over Ridley's head. Both he and Miyu shrieked and Ridley trembled as Aiden came closer.

"What are you—" Miyu said.

"Negotiations broke down," Jordy said, "We've tried your way, now we're doing it _our _way."

Aiden aimed the gun at Ridley's forehead, "I want answers. Who hired you?"

"Stop! Stop it!" Miyu called. She grabbed on Aiden's wrist, only to be shoved back. Despite her cries, he couldn't give a damn less what she wanted.

"Hawkeye! Hawkeye007! That's all I know! I swear!" Ridley cried. Fear finally consumed him.

_Another fixer…_ Aiden thought. He put away handgun and walked off.

"H-hey!" Jordy called, "What about—"

"I don't care what you do with Ridley," Aiden simply replied.

Jordy sighed and picked up the traumatized Walter Ridley.

"Kazemari!" Aiden called out to Miyu, "Get over here. I'll take you home."

Miyu was on her knees, crying. She really thought Aiden would shoot Ridley. Now she doubted what she said at the apartment. Maybe Ran was right… maybe he was nothing but trouble.

Aiden rolled his eyes and placed his hand out, "Get up."

"So it's true," she said, "that's why they call you the Vigilante."

Aiden didn't respond.

"I should do the right thing and turn you in," she continued, "but, regardless, you are my friend. What kind would I be if I told?" She grabbed his hand and he pulled her up.

"Good." He said, "You're useful, after all."

"Oh! And…" She pulled out the bag of sandwiches, "here."

Aiden sighed, but took the sandwiches.

"No offence to Mr. Chin or anything," Miyu continued, "but I think he's kind of a pervert. Don't tell him I said that though!"

"My lips are sealed," Aiden said, pulling out his phone. He was texting something then Miyu's phone went off. She checked it and she was surprised to see that she had Aiden's information in her contacts.

"We'll be in touch," He said, walking off.

She was astonished. _How did he...? _Then she realized she was falling behind, "Wait up!"

* * *

_****__**Author's Notes ('•̀ ▽ •́ )φ**__**!**_

_Nothing to explain...__(ﾟｰﾟ;_

_Yay! Jordy's here! Now what's he going to do?∑(;°Д°)_

_... And yes I've been reading the comments so far, and went through some deep thinking and I have to say that there will be some changes made to the story. Currently..._

**_*- There will no longer be any emoticons or SFXs in the story. I kind of figured it wouldn't work...( p′︵‵。)_**

**_*- Everyone's been complaining about the whole "It sounds like an anime and it smothers the Watch Dogs story." OK, OK. I'll try to stay away from the anime/manga standpoint. I hope this chapter makes up for it!(/^▽^)/_**

_I also have to thank all the people out there for the complements not only from the review page, but from private messaging too! Most of the comments I've been getting have been mostly compliments and questions for Miyu. Miyu says "Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita!, Thank you very much!"(*≧▽≦) _

_I also have to thank all the guys who like my style of writing!(๑ᴗ๑)_

_So, what happens next? Let's find out next time!o(^▽^)o_


	5. A Dangerous Game

The Princess and The Vigilante Chapter Five

_**A Dangerous Game**_

* * *

_There's nothing more frighting... and I know you're the only one who can save me. You must be irritated by now, but we need you... I need you in my darkest of hours..._

* * *

It was a busy night for Aiden, Clara, and T-Bone as they spent an entire night searching for the perpetrators, only to be stumped with nothing they could use. There wasn't anything useful Ridley had except for an invite from Hawkeye007 (whose contacts were deleted or no longer worked). Whoever they were dealing with sure is clever.

T-Bone sighed, "Damn… I could go for a beer right now."

"What? Even the infamous Raymond Kenney can't wrap his head around this one?" Aiden asked.

"Like you're getting' any closer…"

Clara, on the other hand, stayed quiet. Her eyes were glued to the computer, constantly typing. Aiden did show some concern, but he shrugged it off. He thought she would be OK.

"You haven't said a word since we started, Clara," Aiden blurted, but she made no response.

"Don't tell me it's about that girl, is it?" T-Bone asked.

Clara cursed in French, "God!"

"I figured," T-Bone answered, "I have to give it to her, she's got a pretty face. Must have had the white-picket fence kind of life, being a daddy's girl and all. And to think she trusts you, Aiden!" He put a hand on his shoulder, "She's got a lot of balls. She ain't afraid of you."

T-Bone then grabbed a sandwich from the bag, "And these sandwiches… Delicious! C'mon, guys. You're missing out!"

Aiden shrugged him off and left the room, he didn't want to deal with this. Ever since Miyu made way, everything was going to hell.

_ I can't even stop criminals, knowing she'll be around… _he thought, _and I gave her my contacts too…_

Somehow it was a good and bad idea. Since whoever wants him dead thinks she's involved with him, she's unfortunately become his problem as well as his responsibility. It was stupid because he still couldn't entirely trust her. She said that they were "friends", but for all he knew she could call the police. However, the good part about it was that he could watch her and she'll at least be safe… for the most part.

Just then, the lights were flickering on and off.

"Aiden!" Both T-Bone and Clara called.

Aiden came back and saw all the computer screens glitches They were flickering on and off.

"What the hell?" T-Bone asked.

The screens went static and silence engulfed the room. Clara tried to work the computers, but to no avail, there was no response. Aiden and T-Bone were about to leave the room to check on the generators when...

"'Ello, chaps!"

The screens were on, showing a shadow of a man.

"How're you doing?" He had a heavy British accent.

"Turn it off! Turn it off!" T-Bone yelled, while violently pulling cords.

"It won't turn off!" Clara replied, rapidly pressing buttons.

"So, you came to us... HawkEye007," Aiden said calmly.

The shadow chuckled, "Sorry to disappoint you, Aiden Pearce, but I'm not the guy you're looking for, nor should you be worried about."

_A colleague, then... _Aiden thought, "You work for him-"

"He works for me, you mean. Hmmm... Ah! You must be Clara Lille, DedSec's ex-member. Shouldn't you be dead?" He asked with obvious sarcasm.

Clara was beyond words to know that this guy knows exactly who she is. Yes, she faked her death so fixers would stop looking for her.

"And... Oh! Look what we have here!" The shadow continued, "The infamous Raymond Kenney... or should I say 'T-Bone.' I have to say I'm a fan of your work."

T-Bone stayed silent. He thought this guy was another "rat."

"And last but not least is "The Vigilante" himself. A guy who's pissy because his niece died. I must admit Aiden, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't think twice coming here."

"You sent those fixers after me." Aiden said.

"And they failed... terribly. Awful, awful job, they did. I had no choice but to eliminate them. I have no sympathy for failures." He said that like it was a good thing.

"What do you want?" Clara asked.

"What I want?" The shadow asked, "My dear, I want to play a little game with Pearce."

Aiden turned around, "You're wasting my time."

Two computer screens suddenly bursted. All three of them ducked down and the shadow laughed.

"Ohhh... You almost walked away from me. I knew you'd be just as stubborn as 'him.'"

They knew now he wasn't screwing off. Despite the tone in his voice and the sarcasm, this guy meant business. And 'him...' Who's 'him?'

"Perhaps you didn't take me serious, Pearce," the shadow said, "You can't walk away from this, Aiden. You're not the one in control. And besides, knowing you, you wouldn't leave if an innocent life was on the line."

T-Bone and Clara were clueless, but Aiden knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Where is she?" Aiden growled.

"Oh, I don't know. Really! I don't know where Ms. Kazemari is. It's like she disappeared or something. Go figure... but this is a great opportunity..."

Suddenly, the entire bunker blacked out. Everything just shut down all at once.

"Good luck finding her without your precious CToS!" The voice cheerfully said from the intercom. Then it went static.

And there they were in the dark; their smartphones being the only source of light. While T-Bone tried to turn something on (and cursed when it didn't), Aiden was about to leave. However, before he went, Clara followed behind distraught.

"You want to find her-"

"What choice do I have?" Aiden asked, covering his mouth, "I should've never gotten her involved…"

"And what will saving her do?"

"Clara-"

"Since when did you care about her, Aiden? Why do you always-"

"I don't want another guilty conscience! I don't want to grieve over another person!"

He yelled so loud that Clara shuddered and T-Bone flinched. Aiden heavily breathed once or twice, venting out his anger.

"Damnit, Clara…" He cupped his face, "You're no position to talk. Faking your death and _then _coming back? You got a lot of nerve, but I'm not not going to let Miyu die… I can't let her die. She doesn't deserve this…"

There was silence between the two until Aiden left. Clara only took a deep sigh. Aiden was right, she brought all this on herself .

"I can't blame him," T-Bone finally said, "but he didn't need to be _that _rough…"

* * *

Aiden raced, disrupting traffic, but cops were the least of his problems. He needed to know if Miyu was safe. He drove to their apartment, ran up the stairs, and took a deep breath as he reached their door.

_Please be in there…_ he thought.

When he turned the doorknob, surprisingly the door was already unlocked. This only discouraged him, but nonetheless, be needed to know. He swiftly opened the door .

"Oh, god… no…" he whispered.

To his dismay, both Miyu and Ran were gone. The television was still on and both their phones were lying on the floor. There appeared to be a struggle, take note the bloodied frying pan, the flipped chairs, and the man laying motionless on the couch. Just by looking at it, Aiden could tell that he was hit to the head with the frying pan and died from the excessive bleeding to his head. Aiden checked all the rooms, but the girls were gone.

_If he didn't take them, who did? _he thought.

Just then, Aiden noticed something on the jacket of the dead man. It had a symbol, a symbol he recognized all to well.

"I smell a fucking rat…" Aiden concluded.

* * *

_**Author's Notes ('•̀ ▽ •́ )φ**__**!**_

_Nothing to explain here (Hmmm... I need to put something here... Ah! How 'bout this!) _

_*-**Rat****:**_ _Let's not be a spoiler, but a certain character will make their debut in the next chapter!_

_And so another chapter of The Princess and The Vigilante has been posted (*≧▽≦). My apologies again! School has just stared and other stuff's been happening, nothing depressing or personal, just been busy with other stuff... anyways, again I'm sorry. ｍ（．＿．）ｍ_

_~Groans~ I feel Aiden was a little too hard on Clara... I'll try to make him a little nicer. Sorry, Clara! （ﾉ´д｀）_

_So... yeah... Miyu and Ran got kidnapped by [CENSORED] and it's up to Aiden to rescue them, but will this be an easy task? Find out on the next chapter!ヾ( ^▽^ )ノ_


End file.
